GWR 387 Bristol/Swindon services - why?

[Bletchleyite]

I've noticed that of late on Sundays (may also be on other days) there are a load of random services worked by 387s on fairly random timetables between Paddington and Bristol Parkway/Swindon. These services seem to be poorly used and promoted, e.g. by way of cheaper Advances. This is quite nice for me as an occasional user who knows about them, but they don't seem to be serving much of a purpose.

What is the point of these services? Did they replace something else specific? They seem to duplicate others fairly closely.

 

[Starmill]

They usually are cheaper if booked at certain times, because it appears there may be a greater quota available on them. If you searched not long after everything went on sale you may not have any way to notice that. Also, GWR have a habit of 'sweeping away' unsold quota in the cheaper buckets a month, or two weeks, or a week, prior to departure, so you also may not notice it.

All this kind of unpredictable behaviour is why it doesn't make sense to let fares get so expensive as to force most people to rely on Advance tickets, as it's giving a completely free hand to them to charge what they like when they like. However that's not quite the topic here I guess.

 

[Kingston Flyer]

It may also be to keep driver experience up. There were plans (I'm not sure if it has happened yet) to run crowd buster 12car trains on rugby/other event days in Cardiff

 

[yorkie]

It may also be to keep driver experience up. There were plans (I'm not sure if it has happened yet) to run crowd buster 12car trains on rugby/other event days in Cardiff

Definitely have been 38 crowd busters, but not sure if they have yet run as 12-car:

Wales England Rugby - no return trains tonight WHY?

My family travelled from Paddington to Cardiff for the 6 Nations Rugby this morning. I've just checked the RTN trains and I cannot believe what I'm seeing. From CDF to PAD 1718. 14 CAR 1819 15 CAR GAME ENDS 1845 1903 5 CAR 1911 West Coast just appeared car ? 1919 10 CAR 1950 4 CAR 2022 LAST...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[stadler]

The 387s have a couple of booked services to and from Cardiff Central as well. I wish they would run more. I find the 387s so much more pleasant to travel on compared to the IETs.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The 387s have a couple of booked services to and from Cardiff Central as well. I wish they would run more. I find the 387s so much more pleasant to travel on compared to the IETs.

Indeed, better seats, better ride and quieter (though the latter does make one question why they run, hence the thread).

 

[800001]

I've noticed that of late on Sundays (may also be on other days) there are a load of random services worked by 387s on fairly random timetables between Paddington and Bristol Parkway/Swindon. These services seem to be poorly used and promoted, e.g. by way of cheaper Advances. This is quite nice for me as an occasional user who knows about them, but they don't seem to be serving much of a purpose.

What is the point of these services? Did they replace something else specific? They seem to duplicate others fairly closely.

My only thought is to relive pressure or the main IET operated services.
Leaving seats for long distance travellers?

 

[J663738]

The 387s have a couple of booked services to and from Cardiff Central as well. I wish they would run more. I find the 387s so much more pleasant to travel on compared to the IETs.

Except they don't have first class, not sure if GWRs delay repay would compensate you, if you turned up with a first class ticket and had to wait for the following train to arrive. While the seats are more comfortable, the ride quality is terrible at max speed. Felt more like a fair ground ride than an intercity train.

 

[Bletchleyite]

My only thought is to relive pressure or the main IET operated services.
Leaving seats for long distance travellers?

They don't really fulfil that function though - they are usually nearly empty!

Except they don't have first class, not sure if GWRs delay repay would compensate you, if you turned up with a first class ticket and had to wait for the following train to arrive. While the seats are more comfortable, the ride quality is terrible at max speed.

They're a bit wobbly, but so are IETs. I put that down to long term poor track quality on the GWML, as 805/807s ride silky smooth on the WCML, as do 350s and Aventras.

 

[43055]

Looking at the time on real time trains they seem to be going west at least in the path of the second Cardiff/Swansea service which by the afternoon helps to create a almost 15 min frequency to Swindon.

 

[Parallel]

I use them occasionally between Swindon and London, they are usually very quiet from Swindon but start filling up at certain times between Didcot/Reading and London.

They are not ideal for longer distance work due to no first class, no catering and no allocated seat reservations, but they should be good for additional relief services. It’s just a shame the wires haven’t reached Bristol or Oxford yet. It would make sense for more of them to run to Cardiff on Sundays but guess there are already crew shortages on Sundays. Are they DOO London to Didcot?

It could be wrong but I have heard from GWR staff that 12 coach ‘crowdbusters’ cannot call at Newport, which limits their use for that purpose somewhat.

 

[stadler]

I use them occasionally between Swindon and London, they are usually very quiet from Swindon but start filling up at certain times between Didcot/Reading and London.

They are not ideal for longer distance work due to no first class, no catering and no allocated seat reservations, but they should be good for additional relief services. It’s just a shame the wires haven’t reached Bristol or Oxford yet. It would make sense for more of them to run to Cardiff but guess there are already crew shortages on Sundays. Are they DOO London to Didcot?

It could be wrong but I have heard from GWR staff that 12 coach ‘crowdbusters’ cannot call at Newport, which limits their use for that purpose somewhat.

I would be surprised if they could not call at Newport as i can not see what prevents that. All four of the platforms are long enough to accommodate a full 12 coach unit. The lengths are P1-278m and P2-287m and P3-311m and P4-250m which is long enough. A full 12 coach 387 comes to 240m long. Plus they have ASDO anyway which is used by GWR on the 387s at many other stations. Maybe there is another reason but i can not think of what would prevent them from calling there.

 

[Parallel]

I would be surprised if they could not call at Newport as i can not see what prevents that. All four of the platforms are long enough to accommodate a full 12 coach unit.

Allegedly it’s due to the signal positioning on certain platforms.

 

[Class 170101]

Don't the WAG prefer the train to be cancelled if an IET cannot be provided or something stupid like that? That is to say they don't like 387s in Cardiff.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Don't the WAG prefer the train to be cancelled if an IET cannot be provided or something stupid like that? That is to say they don't like 387s in Cardiff.

What do the Welsh Gvt have to do with it? GWR is a DfT-controlled TOC. (Hence why WG was so keen to support the Grand Union competing open access proposal, which has somewhat backfired now that it’s been bought out by First Group and converted into a Lumo-style economy class proposal.)

 

[dk1]

Don't the WAG prefer the train to be cancelled if an IET cannot be provided or something stupid like that? That is to say they don't like 387s in Cardiff.

I wouldn’t imagine GWR give two hoots about what WAG wants or thinks.

 

[DelW]

I was looking at possibly using one of the Sunday 387 services to avoid the IET collapsed-seat issue, but going west they connect very poorly at Parkway. It's hard to understand what the point of them is.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I was looking at possibly using one of the Sunday 387 services to avoid the IET collapsed-seat issue, but going west they connect very poorly at Parkway. It's hard to understand what the point of them is.

I used one for that exact reason last week, plus they're lovely and quiet. But unless it is purely for staff familiarisation, I struggle to see the justification for them.

 

[Benjwri]

Aren’t these to provide a second hourly service towards Swindon in the Down direction? They are certainly very useful for it in my perspective.